🏋️ Muscle & Tendon Injuries
Understand common muscle and tendon injuries, what you can do about them, and when physiotherapy may help.
What is muscle & tendon injuries?
Strains, tears and tendon overuse injuries are common, whether from sport, work, or everyday movement. How you manage the first few days can shape how well — and how quickly — you recover.
Common causes
- Sudden overstretch or overload during activity
- Repetitive strain from overuse
- Inadequate warm-up or conditioning
- Muscle imbalance or weakness
- Returning to activity too quickly after a previous strain
Common symptoms
- Sudden pain during activity, or pain that builds up over time
- Swelling or bruising over a muscle
- Pain when stretching or contracting the muscle
- Weakness or reluctance to load the area
- Tenderness along a tendon
When to see a physiotherapist
- Is there swelling, bruising, or visible weakness in the muscle?
- Does it hurt to stretch or contract the affected muscle?
- Has the pain not eased after a few days?
- Are you unsure how to safely build back up to full activity?
How physiotherapy can help
A physiotherapist can assess the extent of the strain or tendon irritation and guide a structured, staged recovery so you rebuild strength without risking re-injury.
Treatment approaches
- Personalised rehabilitation plan
- Progressive loading and strengthening
- Flexibility and mobility work
- Manual therapy where appropriate
- Gradual return-to-activity planning
- Home exercise programme
What to expect at your first visit
Your physiotherapist will typically start by discussing your symptoms and history, then carry out an appropriate assessment. They'll talk through what they find in plain language, answer your questions, and work with you to build an individualised plan — there's no expectation that everything gets fixed in one visit.
Ready to take the next step?
Find a physiotherapist who can assess your condition and help you work towards your recovery.
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